Kim Kardashian thanks Kanye West in ‘Fashion Icon’ acceptance speech at People’s Choice Awards

Kardashian and Ye are in the middle of a divorce but, by all appearances, they've managed to remain amicable.

Fashion designer and reality TV maven Kim Kardashian West was the recipient of the Fashion Icon prize at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards Tuesday night. And Ye was among those she had to thank.

Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross — last year’s Fashion Icon awardee — introduced Kardashian West with a tribute video dedicated to some of her most well-known looks. Then, Kardashian West herself took the stage.

Kim Kardashian (left) and Kanye West (right) attend the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Feb. 2020 at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

“Oh my gosh to be receiving this award from a fashion icon herself, Tracee,” began the 41-year-old fashion designer and mother of four, who started her career as a stylist for celebrity friends like Paris Hilton. “I am so honored.”

“I am honestly so humbled to be here,” she said. “I started off as a closet organizer and a stylist, so the fact that I am winning a fashion icon award — it’s like a pinch-me moment. I have those every single day that designers are willing to work with me.”

“Designers are willing to work with me,” said Kardashian West, “and there was a time when they weren’t. So many amazing designers, like Zac Posen, who really believed me or probably got talked into it by getting a call from Kanye.” 

She then thanked her estranged husband, rapper-producer-designer Kanye West: “And thank you to Kanye even for introducing me to the fashion world. I fell in love with fashion, and I’m so inspired by so many people.”

“This is like a dream,” she concluded, “to wake up and wear these amazing clothes.” 

The Wests are in the midst of a divorce but appear to be remaining amicable. They were recently seen together at the Chicago memorial service for Louis Vuitton visionary Virgil Abloh. 

The People’s Choice Awards was held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, and was hosted by Kenan Thompson.

Kardashian West returned to the People’s Choice Awards stage later with her sister, Khloé Kardashian, and mother Kris Jenner to accept the award for Best Reality Show 2021 for the long-running Keeping up with the Kardashians, which recently ended after 20 seasons. Jenner reminded audiences that the family will soon star in a new reality show on Hulu. 

The People’s Choice Awards was held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, and hosted by Kenan Thompson.In addition to being a fashion icon for wearing great clothes, Kardashian West is also a designer and the founder of SKIMS, a signature line of underwear, shapewear and loungewear that debuted in 2018. 

The brand recently launched its Cozy Collection, with recent Dancing With the Stars winner Iman Shumpert, his wife, Teyana Taylor, and their two daughters, Junie and Rue, as the models for the line. 

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